08-28-2021 Ride

 Rode with Jim down to a Park 'n Ride not so far from Roberto's Taco Shop in Del Mar, to meet up with some of his BP colleagues for a ride up the coast and back.  We met up with Flash, Micah, and Steve, and headed over to the coast, going north toward Oceanside.  Pace was modest, nobody was trying to push it on this day.  The weather was cloudy and occasionally a little misty, but overall fine cycling weather.  On the way up, there were a couple of times when I pulled ahead and stretched my legs out for a while.  Jim hadn't ridden in a couple of months, so I don't know what he was thinking when he committed to a 40-mile ride, even at modest pace and on a flat course.  With some minor detours off the coast highway when we got into Oceanside, we rode up to the pier and took a 15 minute break there before turning around and heading back.  Not too long after the turnaround, Jim started feeling the effects of the ride and slowed down.  I stayed back with him, or waited for him at points, and the others did so until he slowed down even further and texted them to go ahead and ride.  On the way back, there were a couple of points where we got off the main coast highway and rode side streets for a time.  By the time we were getting into Cardiff, Jim was really hurting on the little uphill segments.  Coming into Del Mar, he felt ill and stopped for a breather, then there were a couple of other spots where he had to walk off leg cramps.  He eventually made it back to the car ahead of me, making a couple of long lights that stopped me.  On the ride home, we saw Blair Butler coming back from the coast as well, small world in cycling!  It was a fairly low-impact day for me, no real stress.

Avg speed = 14.7 mph. Total mileage = 42.0 mi

Avg heartrate = 102 bpm

Total elevation gain = 1240'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5867794393

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/42365081365

08-21-2021 Ride

Solo ride over to the Sabre Springs Transit Station, up Aguamiel Rd and over RB Rd to Bernardo Center Dr.  It was misty when I started, and it just got wetter and wetter, never actually raining but really heavy mist and drizzle sporadically throughout the ride.  Over Bernardo Heights Pkwy (kept it above 10 mph) to Paseo Lucido and then taking the backwards time trial route to meet Blair and John.  We decided to ride in the weather, so we headed back to Carmel Mountain Rd, turning on Stoney Peak Dr and then left on World Trade Dr to get over to Twin Peaks Rd.  Up to Espola Rd, where we turned left and I was able to keep it above 10 mph on the climb up to the high school.  Then it was down to Pomerado Rd, where we ended up turning left and following the time trial route back to the starting point.  I kept thinking the drizzle would let up but it never did.  I rode back to Pomerado Rd via Ted Williams Pkwy with John, then he continued straight and I turned left to head back home, not pushing the pace by this time.  Home via RB Rd to W Bernardo Dr and then the normal route.  This was a wet, dirty ride, was really glad to be done with it.

Avg speed = 16.0 mph. Total mileage = 35.5 mi

Avg heartrate = 121 bpm

Total elevation gain = 2160'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5829748108

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/42190704421

08-15-2021 Ride

Solo ride from home over to Krispy Kreme, where I met Ann and she picked me up.  Headed through the neighborhood to Matinal Rd, then over W Bernardo Dr to RB Rd.  I took it all the way to Bridlewood Rd, turning right and riding to Summer Sage Rd, turning right and staying on it until I took another right onto Lake Poway Rd.  Left onto Riparian Rd and over to Titan Way, where I turned to get over to Espola Rd.  Then it was down to Twin Peaks Rd and Camino del Norte to World Trade Center Dr, winding through there to Highland Ranch Rd and then onto Carmel Mountain Rd.

Avg speed = 15.7 mph. Total mileage = 12.7 mi

Avg heartrate = 126 bpm

Total elevation gain = 870'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5797015436

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/42022354566

08-14-2021 Ride

Solo ride over to the Sabre Springs Transit Station, taking RB Rd to Bernardo Center Dr and then up Bernardo Heights Pkwy.  I took it easy, because I had left early and because I knew it was going to be a lot of miles on this day.  By the post office and down to the meeting place, where I joined up with Blair, and we headed out to the 56 bike trail, riding it down to Camino del Sur to get over to Carmel Valley Rd.  Out to Rancho Santa Fe Farms Rd, which first drops then climbs back up for a short, steep segment before we turned onto Rancho Diegueno Rd to ride down to San Dieguito Rd.  Over to El Apajo, taking it and Via de Santa Fe up to Via de la Valle, where we headed down to Calzada del Bosque, using it to climb up to Linea del Cielo.  This is not a long climb, but it has some steepness to it.  Then we rode down to the coast, via Lomas Santa Fe Dr.  South on this relatively short stretch of flat road through Solana Beach and into Del Mar, passing through (it was starting to get hot by then) and turning on Carmel Valley Rd to get back to the 56 bike trail.  From here, it was back to the meet-up spot, and I kept my pace dialed back, feeling the effects of the miles and the heat.  Still was able to keep it above 10 mph on the little climb up to Black Mountain Rd, and then I was done with major efforts for the day.  I headed back home via Carmel Mountain Rd and felt okay, with no evidence of cramping in my legs, just tiredness.

Avg speed = 15.5 mph. Total mileage = 47.4 mi

Avg heartrate = 134 bpm

Total elevation gain = 3180'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5792310879

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/42018000057

08-12-2021 Ride

Ride with Justin, Robert, and Blair after work, start was a little delayed because of work stuff. We headed out from the back parking lot to W Bernardo Dr and down toward RB Rd.  By the Park n Ride, there was a guy with a mountain bike and a flat tire, so I decided to help him out and told the others to keep riding.  The guy was a little weird, but I pumped up his tire for him and gave him a shot to get to where he needed to go (Escondido).  Then I turned on RB Rd and caught up with the others at the Bernardo Center Dr intersection.  After we continued, it was just a little bit, and Justin had a mechanical, so we had another delay.  Continuing on, we rode up RB Rd until we needed to stop again for another derailleur adjustment for Justin.  By this time, I was behind on schedule and concerned I wouldn't be back for a 6:00 phone call.  So I rode with them up to the top of the hill on Espola Rd, then turned around and headed back from there.  Turned left on Acena Dr and over to Lomica Dr to get to Bernardo Center Dr, which I took to climb back to the parking lot starting spot.  Turns out I could have stayed with the others, as they got back just before 6:00.

Avg speed = 14 mph. Total mileage = 12 mi

Avg heartrate = 133 bpm

Total elevation gain = 650'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5783574381

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/41979515965

08-07-2021 Ride

Ride with Oren Perets starting around 6:00AM from our normal meeting place in Netanya.  We headed out to Hwy 4 and took it north to Hedera, turning there for a different route through the southern outskirts of town and eventually back to Hwy 9, heading east.  On this stretch, I pushed the pace and caught up with a couple of cyclists on TT bikes, trading leads for a while and going pretty fast.  We turned off at the 581 and took it south, eventually turning onto that winding road that goes by Gan Yoshiya and over Hwy 6.  We headed back west on a road leading toward Netanya but turned to head further south toward Pardesiya and that road where time trialists practice riding back and forth.  Over by the field where paragliders take off and land, then over to a road heading north in parallel with Hwy 4 to a rest stop where we had iced coffee.  It was heating up by then, and Oren had been slower for the last 10 km or so.  He felt better after the break, and we took Hwy 2 all the way back to the stadium and to his house, where he washed Zvika's bike and let me borrow a wrench to lower the seat back.  This was a long ride in hot and muggy weather, but I felt good due to its small elevation gain.

Avg speed = 16.0 mph. Total mileage = 48.9 mi

Avg heartrate = 131 bpm

Total elevation gain = 1230'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5751227012

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/41824652503

08-06-2021 Ride

Ride with Mark Cook from his place out to Palmahim Beach and back, taking a route by the beach on the way out (and having to dodge several people out in the streets).  Once we got through Bat Yam and western Rishon LeTsiyon, we were able to pick up the pace, and I felt decent.  I had borrowed Zvika's second bike and adjusted the seat height, but it felt a little squirrely given the saddle position and the short top tube.  Still, it worked out just fine.  Some nice stretches of riding out to the turnaround point and on the way back.  We headed back through Rishon, connecting to the 412 like in former times.  It was the normal slow going through the city center, but I was able to open it up on the way over to the 44 and Ben Zvi.  That stretch, slightly downhill overall and with a tailwind, seemed like it was pretty fast, and I took the lead most of the way.  Overall, it was quite fun to ride with Mark again.  He is strong and steady and knows how to match his pace and level of effort to me.

Avg speed = 16.8 mph. Total mileage = 33.3 mi

Avg heartrate = 137 bpm

Total elevation gain = 1000'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5746505857

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/41783090849